Cozy Color Schemes for Winter

As the weather turns colder and the days become dark, finding ways to keep your home cozy is not always easy. Maximize your decorating efforts by incorporating one of these three inspired-by-winter color schemes. Each winter palette design features colors and accessories that can carry you from fall through spring.

Winter Holiday Colors

When we think of winter, we can't help but think of the holidays. It's fun to dream of the upcoming holiday festivities, but there is also preparation and holiday decorating to consider. Double your decorating efforts as the weather turns colder by working in touches of the same colors you will be using for holiday decorating.

This bright winter palette marries well with neutral tones. Neutral grays can help calm festive colors, like traditional Christmas reds and greens, once the holidays are over.

Maximize your winter decorating by incorporating items that will not only brighten your home, but also enhance and coordinate with your holiday decor. Real or artificial fruit is a great way to add color. It can also add an organic element and warmth reminiscent of the summer months.

A bowl of real or artificial fruit, like this set of artificial apples, is the perfect double-duty accessory that can add color all winter long while enhancing your winter color scheme.

Images: Wayfair; Kohls

Adding throw blankets in bright colors will not only keep your family warm, it can contribute even more of the color that you're looking to work into your decor. Neutral pillows and fabrics like grays, creams, and tans can help balance and neutralize even the brightest of festive colors after the holidays are over.

Winter Jewel Tone Colors

The color palette in your own home is a great place to look for cozy color inspiration. Incorporating hints of rich, deep jewel tone winter colors can be done by simply working in colors and accessories that are darker versions of your existing home color palette.

Incorporating jewel tone colors for the winter is an easy way to transition your home decor from fall, through the holidays, and into spring. If your home color palette includes touches of lighter blues, consider incorporating accessories and fabrics in a dark navy blue into your dark winter color palette. If you have lighter shades of green throughout your home, look at adding hints of a dark, rich hunter or emerald green.

Dark jewel tone colors are rich in depth and can instantly transform the feel of a room to that of warmth. Using your existing home color palette makes the transition easy. By mixing in shades of white and warmer plush textures, you can balance these rich colors and keep them from appearing too dark.

Velvet and chenille pillows are a great way to bump up the warmth and coziness in a deep winter color palette. A fun pattern like this leopard print velvet pillow can help balance darker jewel tone colors and brighten up dark winter days.

Images: Z Gallerie; One Kings Lane

Other accessories that can help you work in darker versions of your existing home colors include candles, decorative bowls, and small benches or stools. A garden stool in a darker jewel tone can add both color and function as a small side table next to a chair or sofa.

Winter Warmth Colors

Winter is all about finding ways to stay warm and cozy. Look for inspiration in cold-weather textures and patterns like plaids for a double-duty true winter color palette. By incorporating winter textures like wool, cashmere, felt, and chenille into your existing color scheme, the transition to a winter-ready home is easy.

Whether the existing colors in your home are a palette of neutral or bold colors, this winter color palette is an easy way to add warmth and coziness. Keep it simple by incorporating warm fabrics and plaids in your same home colors.

Adding in an organic element like this lavender floral box from Williams-Sonoma is another great way to bump up the color in your winter decor. Although not much is growing outside during the winter months, dried flowers in pretty colors can add texture and warmth.